d that morning, from her hand-bag, she passed it to him, while
she added: "I have come to inquire if I am to find a pupil here. I
judged that such must be the fact, since the letter was in response to
my advertisement."

Mr. Lawrence did not reply immediately; he seemed to be studying the
beautiful girl before him--the sad though lovely face, which was crowned
with such a mass of gleaming gold; the graceful figure, in its simple
but tasteful costume, while the small hand, so neatly incased in its
perfectly fitting glove, and the little foot, in its natty walking-boot,
did not escape his observation.

It was easy to perceive that he was favorably impressed by his fair
visitor, for when he did speak, he was more kind and courteous than
before.

"I was impressed, Miss Huntington, when I read your advertisement, that
you were a young lady in search of employment," he said; "and as I am
also looking for some young lady to fill a vacancy, it occurred to me
that, although you had advertised for 'pupils,' you might be
persuaded--if we should be mutually pleased with each other--to devote
yourself to one, provided the remuneration were sufficient."

"Ah! you are looking for a governess," Violet remarked, with a quiet
smile, and in no wise displeased by the proposition.

"Not a governess, according to the common acceptation of the term," the
gentleman returned, in a sad tone. "But let me tell you exactly how I am
situated, and what I desire; then you can decide as to the desirability
of the position. I have a daughter," Mr. Lawrence resumed, after a
moment of thought, "who is in her twelfth year. She is blind----"

"Blind!" repeated Violet, in such a tender, sympathetic tone, and with
such a compassionate glance that her companion's face lighted with a
grateful smile.

"Yes," he answered, "she was born totally blind. It is a peculiar case,
and I have been told there is only one other on record like it. It is
called cataract of the lens; but when my child was nine months old a
noted oculist, whom we consulted, thought that an operation might be
performed which would at least give her a portion of her sight. Of
course, I was willing to consent to anything that would mitigate, even
to the smallest extent, her heavy affliction. The cataracts were
punctured through the pupils, and she saw, very faintly at first, but,
as time elapsed and the cataracts began to be absorbed, her sight
strengthened somewhat. Her sight is very limi